New chick. Not sure how to raise.

[HenOnAJuneBug]

Except for the chick sleeping on the roost, integration is complete. Most hens leave her alone, and the few who go after her stop when she runs away. I expanded the roost to spread everyone out and make more room for her, so I might see if she wants to sleep there soon. This has been a really interesting experience watching an egg turn into a new flock member.

 

[chickens really]

Congrats....Its always fun raising your own...

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

Congrats....Its always fun raising your own...

Next time this happens I'm going to make a ramp from the nest to the floor and let the mother handle it. This time the chick jumped down and didn't have a way to get back to the nest. The mother left the nest to shelter her on the floor, but if there had been more than one chick, that would have been disastrous because it was really cold. I moved them to another coop which solved the safety problem, but isolated them.

 

[chickens really]

Make a floor level Brooder...Little Chicks do not follow Momma up the ramp to bed.......I tried it and my Hen went up to bed and left all 7 Chicks on the ground........

Lol....

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

Make a floor level Brooder...Little Chicks do not follow Momma up the ramp to bed...

....I tried it and my Hen went up to bed and left all 7 Chicks on the ground...

.....

Lol....

I guess it's OK to move everyone to a floor-level brooder after they've hatched? That actually would be easier.

 

[chickens really]

Make a floor level Brooder...Little Chicks do not follow Momma up the ramp to bed... ....I tried it and my Hen went up to bed and left all 7 Chicks on the ground... .....


Lol....

I guess it's OK to move everyone to a floor-level brooder after they've hatched? That actually would be easier.

Yeah....

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

Yeah....

Thanks for the tip.

 

[chickens really]

Yeah....

Thanks for the tip.

Yep........Best of luck...

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

Chick is now part of the flock. She sleeps with them and mingles with them when they are around the coop. She stays close to the coop and doesn't wander off with them, but I attribute this to her age (10 weeks) and lack of confidence.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

Another chick hatched out today. What do I do now and what can I expect?

The broody nested on the floor, so I don't have to move her. I put water and a feeder with starter feed next to her, and hid it with a board so that other hens can't see it. Even if they try they'll have to go through the broody.